Improvement in lamps for burning paraffine or mineral oils



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. W. C. HUGHES. y Lamp for Burning Paraffne or MineralOils.

Patented Fe|p.l4., 187.9.

- INVBNTUR M u .gl 5H, m W

ATTORNEYS.

NPETERS, FHOTO-LXTHGGRAPHgR, WASHINGTON,

UNITED STATES* Enron.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS FOR BURNING PARAI-FINE OR MINERAL OILS.

Specilcat-ion forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,003, dated February 4, 1879; application filed October ll, 1878 patented in England, September 5, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CHARLES HUGHES, of London, England, have invented an Improvement in a New Form ot' Lampfor Burning Parafine or Mineral Oils, of which struction and shape as to cause proper and perfect combustion for magic lanterns, the public streets,rooms, halls, ships, light-houses,

It has long since become apparent that to get the proper combustion of three separate wicks, so as to make them burn with anything like certainty and effect, would require a vast amount of ingenuity and skill. This, however, is done by regulating .to a nicety the proper admission ot' the proper amount of air in such quantities as to support combustion without losing any of the vwhiteness of the light or ilame.

I am enabled, however, by my arrangements to produce great intensity of light for the pun poses above mentioned.

In the first place itis very essential that the wicks for magic lanterns and the orifice of the wick-tubes should be shaped and arranged in certain positions, so as to be compatible with the absorbing power of a lantern-con denser, so that few rays ot' light may be lost by it. f

It has been the aim ot' magic-lantern manufacturers generally for years past to obtain a properly-illuminated and bright disk on the screen.

One of the essential features for the accom plishment of this object is the size of the flames themselves, and the position and shape the wicks should necessarily occupy. For example, there may be placed at the back or front of a lantern-condenser ever so concentrated a light, at either the top, bottom, or sides, and still scarcely any result will be perceptible; but adjust the same light at a proper focal distance and in the center, thennearly all the rays are absorbed, provided the flame or iiames are placed in straight lines or partially curved from the lens. What is meant is this: Suppose a iiat iiame is placed strictly parallel with the condenser, only that portion of the flame that comes immediately within the absorbing radius of the same will produce any advantageous result, because it is only the center part of the lens that collects really the rays of light; but reverse the lamp by pre senting the edges of the flames to the condenser and you get quite a different effect. Thus the condenser absorbs more light longitudinally than in a parallel direction. Therefore, in Aa lamp of this kind it is very essential to study these points. This ultimatum has been obtained by the introduction of wicks placed in straight lines to the condenser, as in the sciopticon and lamps of similar construction.

In the application of three wicks for the same purpose, the like principle is to be adopted but to obtain in this case the concentrated light the width of the wicks, as well as their various shapes, together with their proper combustion, must be of vital importance.

If three wicks are placed very close together, no matter in what position, a very poor light would be obtained, on account of sufficient air not being allowed to pass between the wicks, because of Vtheir closeness to each other, and, on the other hand, if placed too wide apart, they would certainly lose their power for transmitting light to the screen, a large quantity of the outside rays being lost.

Suppose a large Argand burner (say, two

inches inv diameter) is placed in a magic lantern, a great deal ot' heat would be generated, adding but very little more light to the screen, on account of the light froln the front and the back being' caught by the lens, while the greater part of it on the sides would be lost, and on the whole give but little more brilliancy to the screen than a one-inch Argand burner. Hence, it is that the oxyliydrogen lime light is so valuable, because of the concentration of the light at a given point in magic-lantern use.

Next comes the relation of these three wicks to each other and to the condenser itself.

The object I have in view is to get the greatest amount of light possible. This can alone be obtained from the width of the burningedges of the wicks being placed in suitable positions, and having such internal and exter nal arrangements as to carry off the hot air as much as possible. Therefore the width of the wicks for magic lanterns of three and a half or four inch condensers should not be less than one inch and iive-eighths, but more if necessary, up to eight or ten inches.

In a magic lantern with three and one-half or four inch condensers my standard size of the wicks is notless thantwo inches wide, although I claim to use them as low as one inch and fiveeighths in condensers three and one-half to four inches in diameter, and wider, if necessary.

It is evident that a condenser absorbs more rays of light when placed in such a position as to catch them edgewise. Therefore the wider the wicks (consistent with the other arrangements) the greater must be the intensity of the light, and a more brilliantly lit-up disk will be the consequence.

The condenser at the focal distance will absorb or take in any amount of concentrated light. If three wicks are arranged (say, threequarters of an inch wide) for use Vin a vmagic lantern, what would be the result? No more effect than an ordinary light would give; but make them two inches and you get a lwonderfully-increased light, and so on, if larger, cceterz's Paribas.

In this part of my invention I adhere strictly to this point, viz: that no three-wick-magic lantern lamp should have wicks less than one inch and iive-eighths wide, and increased, if necessary, to eight or ten inches, according (as before mentioned) to the size of the vmagic lan.- tern condenser; but in streets, rooms, halls, shops, light-houses, &c., they, when curved or bent, (one or more of the1n,) may bevused in sizes varying from half an inch to eight or ten inches wide.

The wicks should be placed in the following positions in relation to the condenser,so that it absorbs as much of the light as possible, as well as to produce a properlyilluminatedvdisk without aberration or shadow In the -rst place, to produce these results the wicks should be situated thus-viz., the center wick straight, while the two side ones curve, as shown'in 'I+`ig. 5 of the accompanying drawings. In the second place, the center wick is straight and the two side ones each at an angle. Inthe third place, the center wick is straight, the sideones forming part of a circle or egg shape, also'arranged in divisions. Either of the three tripple-shaped wicks will produce the same effect on the screen. Now, although the wick-tubes take the above shape at their orifice for magiclantern purposes, as before mentioned, they are equally as powerful for rooms, streets, lighthouses, &c. The whiteness and intensity ofthe flame are also determined by the proper and well-regulated amount of air being admitted by the proper arrangements underneath, between, and above the perforated plates and that which surrounds the iiames. Thisis very important, as brilliancy of light is produced by the arrangement of parts as to size and dimensions shaped by my invention in more forms than one, suitable to the various sizes of the flames. For instance, if a set of wicks two inches wide will take a chamber four inches in diameter, a wick three inches wide will take one six inches in diameter, the same standard being observed with regard to the size of the ittin gs, and so forth, provided they have the arrangements I have madefor their proper combustion. The flames, too, must rise steadily to a proper height, l'and burn with `great whiteness, which can onlybe guaranteed by my calculated constrnctions, as before described. In the com bustion-chambers, covering the `flames of the ordinary two-wick lamps on the sciopticon principle, they have at either end two glass plates. These chambers are made of metal, and form part ofthe chimney by which the hot air escapes.

In my invention, for covering the three wicks, I place at each end, instead of glass, very finely cut plates of mica or talc, or the condenser itself at one end, if necessary. My reason for sodoing is that the ordinary windowglass will not stand theheat, whichhas always been a--serious defect even in the two-wick lamps, and 'would =be much ymore'so in lamps of threewicks; but -I do not confine myself to the use of this formof chamber when the lamps are used .in V:magic lanterns only, but to the other parts of my invention, which apply to its use in streets, shops, halls, rooms, lighthouses, \&c. Thecombustion-chamberconsists of an annealed glass,square, circular, conical, polygonal, or other convenientshape suitable for the purposefor-which.itisrequiredg but I prefer ffor present Euse the fconical -annealed- `glass chamber, iourl inches `iii-diameter at the bottom, three :inchesand one-eighth'at the top, and threeinches.- and threeqnarters deep,

and 4hollow rightth-rongh vlike a cylinder, the

-bottom 'of `which frestsion the groundplate A,

Fig. 4, andeis .coveredover bya `metal conical-shaped frameor cap B,11I1`igs. land 3, the glass cylinder fitting loosely inside the same,

and with the :long :metal chimney,\which iits around -the collar w of the'fmetal cap B, and forms an .entire and complete chamber, two openings, b,back and'front, allowing the light to -pass outat either side.

A silver reflector, Y@,zwith finovable piece, -D, is attached to the many openings as required to admit of lighty support the chimney, hereinbefore described.

The plate A, which is circular, and on which 4rest t-he metal frame and glass chamber, has

an arrangement for letting in minimum quantities of air, if necessary, to feed the flames.

As before mentioned, common window-glass will crack under ordinary circumstances, because it cannot be got very readily and properly annealed; and when placed, as it has to be, in direct communication with the heat coming from the three liames,two inches wide, scarcely a minute will pass without its being shattered; hence it is the blown annealedglass chambers that will survive any amount of heat that may be brought upon them during the combustion of the same. Moreover, in this form of chamberand connected chimney the hot air escapes without any obstruction, which is of great moment when' the lamp is placed in a confined space, while in the metal combustion-chamber it collects and remains intensified, much to the detriment of surroundings.

Figure l is aI sectional elevation of my improved lamp. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lamp, showing exactly the form it assumes. Fig. 3 is a vertical section. Fig. 4 is a plan view, showing the ground plate. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe lamp with the'cover removed.

The lamp proper consists of an ordinary cistern or reservoir, which can be made of any size to contain sufficient oil for the time the lamp is wanted to burn. On the top of this are wick-tubes d, three in number, through which the wicks pass, and are raised and depressed by three separate racks and pinions with milled heads.

The center wick-holder is quite perpendicular, while the two side ones lean toward the center one at the top, so that the three wicks may be enabled to assume the several shapes previously mentioned, the two outside wicks in either case being more widely separated at some points than at others from the center wick, while at one point they are brought closer together, and are not wider apart in any4 position than half an inch and one-sixteenth, and not nearer together than a bare quarter of an inch in the narrowest part of the various curves. There lnust be, also, between each two wick-holders (soldered near the bottom) perforated plates, as shown at A'. This is to prevent the air from rushing through too violently, and to allow only the proper quantity of air to pass between the flames for 4the proper combustion.

The wick-holder is generally two inches and three-quarters in height. On account of the capillary attract-ion, they should not beless, as sufficient amount of space must beallowed for the air to pass through in order to feed the flames.

Above the reservoir E, and resting on four separate feet, barely one inch in height, is the plate F, which is perforatedwith a number of small holes. This plate is about six and a quarter inches long by four and a quarter inches wide, having entirely around it a ledge, z, three eighths of an inch in depth. When the cover-plate G is placed thereon, the air penetrates through the cone and t-hence to the iiames.

Between the perforated plate or platform and on the top of cistern of the lamp is placed a metal shield, H, to prevent the heat from being thrown down direct upon the cistern containing oil. This is situated at both ends of the lamp, and is arched like abridge. 0n the cover-plate is fixed a bell-shaped cone standing two inches in height, and in diameter at the bottom three and three-quarters, the .extreme edge of same being turned back to allow of firmly soldering it to the plate of the cover underneath, the top part of the cone covering the wicks being two inches and threequarters in diameter, down the center of which a slot, I, is cut of the size and shape to lie right above the curves of the two side wicks in either of the three positions before mentioned, and is raised above the twol side wicks half an inch. The slot is carried in depth on the cone at either end half an inch.

Between the cone and the wicks there is sufficient space to allow the air to efficiently do its work on any portion of the flames. lt is therefore these dimensions and sizes of the various parts and iittings, together with the combustion-chambers, that regulate this sized lamp suitable for magic lanterns with three and a half or four inch condensers.

This lamp can be used for burning parafin'e oils; but should it be required to burn colza oil in it, I can adapt an ordinary fountain-cistern but a little variation in sizes, either larger or sm aller,will not prevent the desired and proper combustion ofthe llames; but to whiten the flames a proportionate quantity of ne wiregauze or muslin can be placed between the perforated plate and the top plate.

The combustion-chamber, as before mentioned, can be made of various shapes, but not larger in proportion than adopted by me for presentuse for magic lanterns with three and a half or four inch condensers.

cis the glass chamber or cylinder, (which must be made of crown annealed glass,) .about four inches in diameter at the bottom, three inches and one-eighth at the top, and three inches and three-quarters deep, the metal frame or cap being just the size to cover the glass cylinder or chamber loosely, having openings back and front to let the light out. This, when the metal chimney is attached, forms a complete combustion-chamber.

A is the plate, which is circular and raised about midway up the belt-shaped cone X, cover- 4 amaro?. y

ing the liames, and securely fastened to the same, in order to hold the combustion-chamber firmly. This plate is made in two separate pieces, but forming, when together, one platform. The top plate has its inner and outer edges turned over on the underneath portion to form a frame, in which is placed the bottom plate, fitted moderately loose to allow it to revolve round either one way or the other. Both of these plates have a number of h ol es say, twenty-seven, for instanceat certain distances apart and about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, same being punched through the plates for the purpose of forming a vent for letting in the outside air to the combustion-*chamber should the glass chamber fit too tightly in the metal frames. By this arrangement the bottom piece is turned, and so covers and ,uncovers the holes situated in the top plate.

Attached to the perforated ground-plate are 'two ledges, placed in such a position as to be back and in front of the lamp. These ledges are placed for the purpose of retaining the combustion-chamber firmly and securely in its place. A connective metal chimney forms part of the combustion-chamber.

C is the reiiector, which moves to and fro in a slide, D, and is placed on the right side of the plate covering the wicks. This is to enable the operator to adj ust it in a proper position.

The triplexicou lamp, in its completeness, can be made larger, the dimensions being, of course, in proportion with the size ofthe wicks, any part accordingly being' made on a proportionate scale, which will insure proper combustion.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claiml. The reservoir E, the arched shield H,the perforated plate F, the wick-tubes d, the perforated plates A', the cone X, attached to the cover-plate and provided with the slot l, and the circular perforated plate or support A, in combination with the chimney c, with or without the metal cap B, and with the reflector C, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The metal cap B, provided with rear and front openings, b, and collar a, in combination with the chimney c and with the adjustable relector C, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification signed by me this 12th day of April, 1878.

W. C. HUGHES. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

T. MORGAN,

W. HILLIER, Both of 21 O'oclcspur Street, Cm'r'ing Cross, S. 

